Museum Archive: Vintage Rapala Original Floater F9, 1/8oz fishing lure #17124

Golden foil sides transition into a dark, black back on this classic balsa body. This specific Rapala Original Floater F9, identified by product code 17124, weighs in at 1/8oz (4g) and spans 3 1/2" (9cm). Examining the lip reveals the crisp "Original RAPALA" stamp, signifying its Finnish heritage and the careful hand-assembly traditional for this model. The color palette is a classic gold with a black spine, paired with simple yellow-and-black painted eyes. With an operational depth range of 3ft to 5ft (0.9m to 1.5m), this lure is suitable for surface-oriented casting or light trolling. The specimen shows exceptional preservation with bright hardware and clean surfaces, warranting a 5/5 condition rating. The belly features the thin white line where the foil meets the lower balsa wood, and the original treble hooks remain sharp and well-attached via their split rings.